I had never been this nervous before. Not before my first F1 race, not before any qualifying session. But now? My hands were slightly shaking as I stared at my reflection in the restaurant’s window. My heart pounded like crazy, but there was nothing scary here—just a small table, two chairs, and a girl I had never met in person.

I had everything—friends, family, a career most people could only dream of. Yet, most nights, I felt a loneliness I couldn’t shake. No one truly understood. No one was just… there for me.

That changed when I met her.

It started with a random online game. She was good—annoyingly good. Quick reflexes, sharp wit. We became teammates, then friends. Late-night gaming sessions turned into long conversations. Hours on the phone, laughing, venting, talking about anything and everything—except Formula 1. She never asked. She never cared about Lando Norris, the driver. To her, I was just Lando. And that meant everything.

Now, I was in Barcelona, days before my race, standing outside a small restaurant, feeling like an idiot for being this anxious.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside.

She was already there, sitting at a corner table, scrolling through her phone. My chest tightened. What if this ruined everything? What if I disappointed her?

Then she looked up. Our eyes met. And she smiled.

A real, warm, knowing smile—the kind that told me everything was going to be okay.

I walked over. When I reached the table, she got up and tilted her head slightly, studying me.

"Hey," I said, my voice softer than I expected.

"Hey, Lando," she replied, her smile widening. "You look nervous."

I let out a breathy laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. "I am. But… I think I just realized something."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What’s that?"

I met her gaze, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was exactly where I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

"I think I finally found what I’ve been looking for."